Best Story-Driven FPS Games

First-person shooter games have evolved a lot over the years. From their action-heavy beginnings in Doom and Quake to the rise of online multiplayer games such as Apex: Legends and Valorant, the genre has become as diverse as the people who play it.

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With the rise in their popularity, developers often use FPS games as a way to tell exciting and engaging stories that push players’ abilities and expectations. Some of these titles blend multiple genres and take people to places no other genre can, all the while maintaining the fun, action-packed mechanics that make the genre such a joy to play.

Updated January 12, 2025, by Andy Chapman: Single-player FPS games continue to be popular among gamers. Returning titles such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 have received high-profile releases, and as the industry slowly moves away from big-budget multiplayer titles, story-driven FPS games are likely to see a surge in quality. More and more players are looking for fun, simple games that immerse them in another world. Single-player FPS titles do this better than almost any other genre, taking players into action-packed scenarios where they can live out their overpowered dreams. This article has been updated with additional entries to give a broader range of story-driven shooters.

1 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

An Epic Sequel to the Classic RPG Shooter

• Average Campaign Length 35 hours

While S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl’s initial release has been plagued with numerous bugs, this epic sequel has still received praise for its bleak atmosphere, expansive level design, and in-depth gameplay.

In the game, players control Skif, a Ukrainian veteran who has returned after a three-year deployment only to find his home destroyed by an anomaly. Broke and homeless, the character ventures into The Zone to earn some money while working for the scientist Doctor Hermann. While S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’ s early technical troubles may put off some players, the game is an epic RPG shooter that lives up to the original’s promise. The world is immersive and bleak and will please fans of the series looking to return to the world of The Zone.

2 Boltgun

Purge Daemons in the Name of the Emperor

• Average Campaign Length: 10 Hours

Warhammer 40k has enjoyed a recent surge in high-quality video games. From the CRPG, Rogue Trader, to the recent success of Space Marine 2, fans of the Grimdark setting have never had it so good. Boltgun is another critically acclaimed 40k video game that has enjoyed cult success.

This retro-style shooter is satisfyingly bloody as players surge through waves of enemies in near-unstoppable carnage. Players control Sternguard Veteran Space Marine Malum Caedo, who has been sent to the planet Graia to end a Chaos incursion. Boltgun’s story follows the events of the 2011 video game Space Marine, where a mysterious power source has been used to open a rift in the warp. Boltgun is a game that revels in its blood-soaked mayhem as players purge countless daemonic enemies. It is a simple, fun action game that will appeal to almost all FPS fans.

3 Ion Fury

A Retro Dystopian Modern Classic

• Average Campaign Length: 10 Hours

Over the last few years, numerous developers have released fun retro-inspired FPS games that take their influence from the genre classics of the 90s. Ion Fury is one of the standout releases in this popular indie genre, with fast-paced action and irreverent humor filled with pop-culture references.

The game follows Shelly "Bombshell" Harrison as she battles the cybernetic army unleashed by the villain Dr. Jadus Heskel. The game is heavily influenced by classic shooter Duke Nukem, bringing a cyberpunk aesthetic, wisecracking one-liners, and lots of action.

4 Prey

A Stunning Sci-Fi Open World

• Average Campaign Length: 16 Hours

Arkane Studios has become synonymous with unique FPS games that blend RPG, stealth, and action elements. Titles such as Dishonored and Deathloop have garnered cult followings for their immersive worlds and fun gameplay. Prey continues this trend with its engaging narrative and excellent open-world setting. Players control Morgan Yu, who must escape the orbital space station, Talos I, after an alien species known as the Typhon escapes confinement.

While exploring the game's open world, players have access to a range of abilities and weapons they must use to defeat the Typhon. The game blends horror and RPG elements into an addictive narrative experience. Prey received positive reviews and was considered one of the best games of 2017.

5 Rage

A Solid Post-Apocalyptic Adventure

• Average Campaign Length: 11 Hours

Developed by FPS heavyweights id Software, Rage is a post-apocalyptic shooter where players explore a large desolate world. Highly influenced by the Mad Max series, the game features an assortment of customizable weapons and vehicles. Players take control of US Marine Nicholas Raine. After being placed in hibernation, the former soldier awakens 106 years later in a very different world. The game follows this character’s story, as he becomes a wanted man and must fight against the ruling power known as the Authority.

Rage is a solid action shooter that never quite reaches its full potential. The setting is fun, yet largely forgettable, with the action always taking center stage. The game was praised on release for its excellent combat, graphics, and mechanics. While games such as Borderlands or Fallout offer more cohesive apocalyptic settings, Rage provides an exhilarating, action-packed game that fans of chaotic shooters will love.

6 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

An Atmospheric Survival Shooter

• Average Campaign Length: 15 Hours

Based on the renowned sci-fi novella Roadside Picnic, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is a cult FPS classic. The game incorporates RPG and horror elements into a bleak open-world experience set in the post-apocalyptic region known as the Zone. The game follows an amnesiac protagonist, known as a Marked One, on a mission to kill the mysterious Strelok.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Has become a cult favorite and is often cited as a classic in the post-apocalyptic genre. Its non-linear narrative, multiple endings, and expansive level design have all been praised by critics and fans.

7 Metro: Exodus

Explore the Ruins of Russia

• Average Campaign Length: 15-16 Hours

The Metro series is a landmark in survival shooters. Based on the novel Metro 2033 by Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky, the series is set within a post-apocalyptic Moscow. In the games, the remaining population is forced to live in the underground metro system, safe from the radiation and mutated creatures that roam the surface.

Metro: Exodus is the third game in the series. It expanded on the previous two titles in both gameplay and setting. Players once again take control of Artyom who, along with a team of allies, escapes Moscow and travels across the country, searching for a new home. The game features several semi-open world areas that are all diverse and fun to explore. Metro: Exodus was praised for its engaging storytelling, expansive gameplay, and excellent world-building.

8 Resident Evil Village

An Action Heavy Horror Experience

• Average Campaign Length: 9-10 hours

The second game to feature the character Ethan Winters, Resident Evil Village begins to move away from the horror genre and into straight FPS territory, with its greater emphasis on shooting. The story plunges Ethan into a European backwater community of vampires and monsters as he searches for his kidnapped daughter.

The game also features the iconic Lady Dimitrescu as one of the central villains, and with its fantastic world-building and action-packed set pieces, Resident Evil: Village is a memorable installment in the long-running series.

9 The Outer Worlds

An Underrated Sci-Fi RPG

• Average Campaign Length: 13-14 hours

Bringing role-playing mechanics and a retro-futuristic style to its game world, The Outer Worlds is an immersive FPS shooter that will please fans of both the FPS and RPG genres.

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Developed by the same team as Fallout: New Vegas, Obsidian brought the same level of interactive storytelling to The Outer Worlds. The game is considered the spiritual successor to Fallout: New Vegas. Although The Outer Worlds has a greater emphasis on its FPS elements, the story-driven nature of the game mixes perfectly with the action and setting, which takes players to a variety of alien worlds.

10 Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

The Original Dino-Shooter

• Average Campaign Length: 7-8 Hours

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter is a classic late 90s FPS game that received critical praise on release for its excellent graphics and creative level design. While the game never reached the iconic status of Doom or Quake, Turok remains one of the best retro shooters available to modern gamers.

The game revolves around a Native American warrior who takes up the mantle of Turok. This warrior is tasked with protecting a barrier between Earth and the Lost Land from the forces of the Campaigner. In the game, players will take on human enemies and various dinosaurs while navigating complex levels with hidden areas and platforming sections. Turok may look dated by modern standards, but it fits in perfectly with the wave of retro-inspired shooters that have become popular in recent years.